UYE MooDaePo Rowland Heights Media Event

One of the best Korean BBQ’s I’ve been to. Service was pretty good. We loved the tofu soup, bulgolgi and pork. Can’t wait to come back!

YUM! THE BEEF IS DELICIOUS! but you’re only allowed two rounds now. But delicous! and the service is spectacular. They even cut you off on alcohol for your own good! hahahahhaha
Buy two special beer towers, and get a free spin to win mooooreee alcohol! :)
AYCE was decently priced, and the selection was amazing for a Korean bbq.
I can’t wait to return, and see all my friends get drunk again :) More meat for me, and more booze for them. I think its a win win win win situation all around!
Plus. the also serve a variety of cocktail soju’s mmmm. My ownly type of drink :)
The enviroment is top notch too. Clean, fun, modern, and upbeat. Good for parties, as long as you guys are ok with smelling like meat coming out ;D

Went with a few friends (4 total) for the bbq and drinks one night, and ordered the $ 20 per person selection. We went heavy on the drinks, spending more than $ 240 on alcohol alone. We ordered, maybe two additional orders of meat the whole time there bc we were primarily just drinking and chatting. Then the waiter approached us exactly two hours into our stay and tells us that our time is up. He informed us that if we continued to stay (even if we ordered more drinks), we would be charged again for the all-​you-​can-​eat bbq! WTF! I’ve been to the other Moo Dae Pos on many an occasion and never had this become an issue. For what it’s worth, I would never patron this particular establishment again. What’s the point of enjoying a night out at an eatery with friends and good food if the establishment ends your evening with a bad taste in your mouth with horrific customer service!

So I get this random email from one of my Unilocal buddies Wendy about a PYE here at Moo Dae Po and if I am down to go. Well after checking my calendar can you say OHHHH YEAH!!!
Well the staff and owner here went all out to show us what they have and what everything tastes like. It was a very impressive showing to say the least.
The banchan was plentiful and of the types and styles that you expect and anticipate. As usual, I didn’t waste my gullet on banchan… I am at a KBBQ for heavens sake! Bring on the beautiful wonderful beefy and porky tastiness!!!
Well I was not to be disappointed as they had some extremely tasty cuts of meat for us to sample including marinated and unmarinated rib meat (freshly cut at the time of our order and we got to see the chef cut up a number of these pieces) with the bone attached. Both were very good. We also were able to sample the flower steak, shrimps, brisket and some onions at the beginning on the first round. This was aided by some beer tubes I believe filled with Hite. If you know KBBQ then you know Hite haha if you don’t know it then you may not be into KBBQ.
We were also presented with an outstanding bulgogi beef soup. It was awesomely tasty! Chunks of glass noodles, bulgogi, a mochi like item, mushrooms, and cabbage I believe. This was my favorite non kbbq item of Korean origin I have eaten and rivals a number of my favorite hotpot/​ramen style restaurants. Worth coming here just for that IMHO.
Pro Tip: They have a vegetarian option… I was stumptified as well and utterly shocked.
On top of that we were able to order items off of the menu to sample. We then tried thin sliced pork belly, regular pork belly and rib finger meat. The rib finger meat was slightly tougher as it was cut right off the bone but it was packed full of awesome flavor! The pork belly was tasty, especially as I hadn’t had it thinly sliced before. It was almost like pork belly brisket rolls… Awesome!
The shrimp was pretty tasty too! I don’t know about the other seafood but some folks were ordering it, just not me.
They also have flavored SoJu! Yes this was a big hit with me. I especially loved the lemon flavored one as it tasted just like lemonade and had zero alcohol taste IMHO. The pomegranate was also tasty but not on the same level. A number of my friends truly enjoyed the yogurt flavored version, but I didn’t sample that as I did have to drive home…
Overall this was an outstanding event with very fresh tasty cuts of meat. The meat made the meal IMHO. Everything about the event went off without a hitch and I am greatly appreciative to have been invited to such a nice event. I was also happy to see a number of friends there like Jennilee, Shanon, Natalie, Albert, Matt, Rodney, Randi, and Wendy! Awesome times friends, Awesome times!

First of all, thanks to Wendy C and MooDaepo for hosting this great event.
Everything is about perfect it can goes, from food to the service. Other than usual food sample, their new lunch menu.
Kim-​Chi Fried Rice — probably one of the best fried rice I had ever eaten, nice kick from the kim chi at top with fried egg.
Bulgogi Jungo — Traditional stable Korean dish Sweet bulgogi with glass noodle in the bottom.
Probably the best part is get chance to meeet other Unilocaler and blogger like Minerva, Thomas, Miguel, Schel, Rodney etc.

***based on a media event for a complimentary meal***
Parking: large lot (free)
Décor: large and modern (great for birthday parties)
Stench: The ceiling is high, so the ventilation is better here than other BBQ places
Bathroom: 4 stalls; mouthwash available
Meat: One the best quality meat I had, hands down! The chef was really impressive cutting all the rib meats by hand! My favorite: Flower Steak (more marbled), seasoned beef rib, and regular beef rib.
Banchan: Overall, just A OK for me. Some of the dishes felt like it were left out; freshness is important!
Service: Amazing; patient and very informative.
Dinner Pricing: $ 16.99, $ 19.99, $ 24.99, $ 34.99 for AYCE
Alcohol: Tower Beer which always makes it fun for a party + fruity soju
Overall: it’s a great place to have a party and AYCE makes the bill easier to split in the end. Just be aware they have 120 mins limitation and an 18% gratuity charge for party of 8 or more.

So a quick disclaimer: I came here for an event thrown by the owner and was given a complimentary meal.
Having said that, I am not just giving 5 stars just because I feel obligated to. I was actually pretty impressed with this Moodaepo location. I have always been a fan of Moodaepo and I’ve been to both the Fullerton location and Moodaepo II in koreatown.
The thing that makes the Rowland Heights location stand out for me is the fact that they have korean pop playing on several large screens. The ventilation is amazing. I was the one cooking, which usually means I smell the worse of BBQ smoke, but I barely smelled at all this time. They also have a private room that you can reserve for a private kbbq event.
The owner was very generous so we got to try pretty much everything. My favorite has got to be the marinated kalbi or short ribs. The way the rib is sliced with the bone still stuck to it and then scored made the beef extra tender and the marinated was deeply absorbed. It was seriously one of the best marinated kalbi I’ve had.
The side dishes are great and there were a lot of options. Their salad is also awesome. I love the dressing because it’s light and flavorful. You can ask for a tray of vegetables and bean paste to dip your vegetables in too.
The service was good. They came around and changed the grill often without us having to ask. We even got to watch a demonstration of how they prepare the kalbi from the head chef.
We were given the privilege of trying 2 lunch items that will be offered soon: kimchi fried rice and bulgogi soup. I really enjoyed the soup. Most place makes that dish too sweet but here, it’s just the right combination of sweet and saltiness. I could order a big bowl of that and eat it with rice. The fried rice was okay. It had too many ingredients in my opinion. I’m more of a purist when it comes to kimchi fried rice so the extra meat and vegetable didn’t quite do it for me. Everyone else seemed to enjoy it though.
They have all sorts of alcohol offerings! Makgeolli, soju, flavored soju, beer, and beer tower. Definitely my kind of BBQ joint. You definitely have to have a good drink when kbbq-​ing.

Duke D. and I got the fun opportunity to check out MooDaePo in Rowland Heights earlier this week for a UYE media event hosted by the restaurant and Wendy C. Though it was definitely a tad ways away from our normal stomping grounds, it sounded like a good event to attend and meet other fellow Southern Californian bloggers and Unilocalers. The place is located in a plaza with several other businesses but with ample parking set aside just for the restaurant.
Our event was held in the private room that MooDaePo reserves out to large groups that may wish to have a separate party. It came equipped with gear ready for even a karaōke night, complete with microphones and a huge screen. We were greeted and given the background by co-​owner Jerry as well as welcomed by Wendy. Then there was a tour of the premises with an emphasis on how the grills without direct vents above them have a downward vent that will suck excess smoke and scents away from the food and the guests. That sounded like a great innovation for an AYCE Korean BBQ place so we were eager to check it out. Additionally, MooDaePo has the ability to zero in with a camera on any guests celebrating a special day! So if you feel like embarrassing your friends on the three big screens, you can let your waiter/​waitress know, hah.
So let’s get to the food since that’s probably what you really care about! With 20+ banchan dishes made in house daily, MooDaePo has a lot to offer. We got a good amount of the selections though not everything because we simply could not get through everything. I must say that I wasn’t entirely impressed with the ones that did come out however, regardless of whether or not I typically enjoy the dish. The general comment was just that they were a tad bland. For me, my most eaten dish at KBBQ places is the rice paper and unfortunately, this one came out too thick and in some cases, dry, with each refill. To be fair though, their cuts of meat really made up for it. Who needs the banchan when the main event is superb? Anyhow, we also got to try out their soju, and I loved every one of them. The yogurt was the table’s favorite being sweet and smooth; the pomegranate and lemon options were dangerous in the sense that it really just was too refreshing and enjoyable to drink down (and easy like a soda!). There was also the beer tower with football helmet dispenser that seemed a bit cheesy to me but made sense once you saw the rest of the sports-​oriented décor outside.
The cuts of meat were all so gorgeous. We were presented with a beautiful plate of marbled desires which our gracious server, Hannah, helped us out with during cooking. The most tantalizing to my eye was what they called Flower Steak but the best what we kept eating was their tender beef rib. Marinated in what must have been a combination of crack and deliciousness, the meat nearly melted in our mouths as we enjoyed our first few grills (they change them out pretty often to ensure that we aren’t eating char).
It wasn’t long before we became more adventurous and started ordering other things off of their menu such as beef tongue, spicy pork belly, baby octopus, and a slew of intestines. There is just something great about their marinades because all of the meats came out very well. We were also treated to two lunch special items of a sweet broth with bulgogi and a gorging-​worthy kimchi fried rice. I was not too fond of a sweeter broth but others enjoyed that at the table; the kimchi fried rice was the preferred of the two among all of us nearby with whom I was dining. It gave a nice kick of spiciness but retained a manageable heat while we filled up on the vegetables and rice. Of course, we continued eating the various meats as we were finishing up our small portions of the lunch special items. Altogether, the four of us at our side of the table managed to get through 11 grills-​worth of food. Isn’t that nuts? As for the downward ventilation, I’m not sure if it was just the sheer amount of meat that we ordered but it didn’t work as well as I had expected; we still got some smoke in our faces and left smelling like all that we cooked.
Though the eating continued throughout the night, we were also given the special appearance of Chef Jin himself who hand slices all of the meat to order. Doesn’t that give you a better feeling about going to this for your KBBQ needs? It isn’t frozen meat that they bring out whenever you make an order; here’s the skilled man who slices it fresh for you. We watched as he deftly dispatched with some rib in all its glorious marbled beauty. What an honor we had to view his skillful knife handling.
Overall, a great evening with good food. My thanks to the great crew at MooDaePo, particularly Ben and Hannah, for being good sports with the big group and keeping a cheery attitude the whole time. Thank you to Wendy too for the invite!

As soon as I saw this UYE on the Unilocal Events Page, I was dying to get in! I never had AYCE Yakiniku in California yet so I felt it was about time. I followed the directions Wendy had laid out in the about section and waited patiently until I got the email the next day… I’m in!
OH MY GOD! YAY! Now where the hell is this event? Um. Rowland Heights. WHERE THE HELL IS THAT? Well. I live in south bay so it sounds eastern to me… and it was. The furthest East I’ve been actually! But the 1.5 hour drive here was well worth it when I saw my friends Minerva T and Duc D as well as Rodney S waiting for the event to start!
I found out this was a quite the intimate engagement with only a few Unilocalers and Bloggers «invited» to this media event to showcase what MooDaePo can do for you. I was impressed… Wendy really pulled out all the stops with this one. Props to her for such a great free event for her friends, the independent owners of this franchise.
The service, provided mostly by two servers Bob and Hana (I think thats what their names were). They helped by imbibing us with Hite beer and yummy soju cocktail shots; tended and explained to us the different meats; changed out our grill, and nearly fed us by hand! They were amazing and informative. Ugh I wish I was Korean… I think they are some of the most handsome and prettiest people. damn near perfect skin and hair. Geeze! AND they can drink a ton?! Wahh!
The Food. Woah. What a TREAT. What a MEAT TREAT. What a MEAT MEAT!!! hahaha. Can you tell I’m not a vegan? All Banchans aside, the quality here is superior. The cuts of the kalbi, bulgogi, pork belly, brisket and gyutan were so BOMB! Beautiful fat marbling from the kobe beef cuts and deep read hues in the king kalbi which are all cut fresh before serving.
The grills they use are similar to those found in fancy yakiniku places like Gyukaku and have vacuums built into the ring that surrounds the grill. This helps keep our nice clothes, nice and not smelling so much like yummy meat candy.
My favorite cuts were the king kalbi (the huge brontosaurus cut of meat wrapped around the bone and scored), the spicy pork belly, beef tongue (gyutan), and the kobe beef. I mean. I love all meats, but these were serious top shelf stuff now. Most of them are available on the $ 24.99 pp AYCE menu too, so that’s actually a really great meal.
I got to sample the bulgogi in the broth with the japchae kine noodles. That was very good. The kimchee fried rice was quite different from others I’ve tasted. I think it could have been spicier… maybe more kochujang paste too. It was great with the little bit of runny egg. Oh man.
If I had the chance, I would certainly visit MooDaePo again. Im definitely bringing a HUGE group of friends as well because I know that way we can all try something different each round. Plus, drinking yogurt soju is exponentially better by the number of friends you have at your table.
The atmosphere of MDP is very conducive to a good time, especially in the private room which has its own screen and computer system. Im sure if you wanted to rock it out, you could totally bring a karaōke machine and bring the house DOWN.
Overall, I had a great time with a super awesome group of Unilocalers… Hi Shannon Y! Sorry we didnt chit chat too long, but it was awesome seeing you!
Thanks so much Wendy! I look forward to any other sweet events you’ve got going on!
Side note**Oh yeah yeeps… don’t forget to tip your waiter/​waitress!

Sleek, unique and delicious — even sexy — are the words that come to mind when describing Moodaepo! They really put a lot of effort into the décor and feel of the place. What this equals is really great ambience! The wine bottle wall at the entrance is a nice visually striking accent. Their projector screens make the place really fun. You can really put a friend on the spot with these babies on their birthday haha! They play a great mix of US and K pop. The meat is tender and the marinade is outstanding. No or very low MSG here! Pretty nice for a KBBQ spot outside of Koreatown!
I was invited to this Moodaepo location by foodblogger Wendy C. (she is behind the food blog Wendyful World:
) who really set up a great and memorable media event.
I had the brisket, marinaded short ribs, shrimp and bulgogi to name a few of the meats on the grill. I also tried the bulgogi soup and kimchi rice. We shared a really tasty carafe of blueberry soju as well! Boy did it creep up on me! The marinaded short ribs were really good, as was the bulgogi. The shrimp were big and juicy. The brisket was not lean enough for my taste but I guess that was just the batch we got. Another table actually got leaner pieces. It might be a good idea to let your server know just how you like your brisket and other cuts. The bulgogi soup was great and has glass noodles in it. I so love those noodles! We did not get my beloved pickled daikon radish wraps or shredded bits as banchan but I was informed that it’s best to request the banchan you desire as they do not serve you all of the options they have at once. The pickled kimchi cucumbers are to die for here. These are one of my favorite banchan.
Ever felt like a slab of barbecued meat after you leave a Korean Barbecue restaurant? Yup, you end up smelling like what you cooked all night at smokier places with poor ventilation. Not here! Moodaepo has superb ventilation so you don’t really end up smelling smokey. I took a whiff of my shirt the day after this great feast and it didn’t smell even half as bad as it has after leaving other places.
The manager and servers were really enthusiastic about the event and really tried their best to show us all that Moodaepo has to offer. We even got to see their chef in action. We got a better understanding of what makes cuts quality cuts.
Parking is not an issue as they have a large lot. If you live in the San Gabriel Valley Moodaepo is a must try restaurant!

4.5 stars
Whip out the cholesterol pills, it’s time for cholesterol overload!
Met up w/​some fellow Unilocalers for a much needed meat orgy at Moodaepo in Rowland Heights.
My table consisted of myself, Thomas, Duke & Minerva–
We managed to outeat everyone else, me specifically :) The quality of meat was top-​notch & our grills were switched out promptly. I think our table grill was changed around 10 times!
Look at the marbleization on these cuts. Fantastic! Fat is flavor, folks. It’s not a bad thing. Any chef will tell you that. Succulent & rich–
The banchan accompanying our meat selections were good, too. I don’t eat rice paper, but the rest went great with our meal–
Intestines! Not ew, but yum! Chewy, fatty, fun. At least try it before you judge it–
Kimchi fried rice was another winner for me, something I definitely want to order again–
I much enjoyed the broth of the bulgogi stew. As for the meat, I preferred it on the grill. However, the broth was delicious–
The service was outstanding! Hanna, our attendant, met & exceeded our needs for the night. Our drinks were kept full, she cooked & trimmed our meats for us & she wasn’t hard on the eyes, either ;P
Jerry is the owner and made sure we all had the best experience possible–
He gave us a brief tour of the restaurant, with spotlights & screens displaying music videos with the ability of having slideshows for birthday parties & other engagements–
I was impressed with everything about Moodaepo. The food was exceptional, the service was outstanding & the atmosphere was festive w/​pop music (Korean & American) & the Laker game going on in the background. The only downer is that the parking can be hard to come by. I was lucky enough to snag a parking space right in front, but there isn’t too much parking so plan ahead.
Unilocalers, I highly recommend visiting Moodaepo in Rowland Heights when you’re hankering for some quality KBBQ & if you’re celebrating a special occasion.
NOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM
BTW, can’t forget the lady who set up our fun get together, Wendy–